Work

Dual Chemotherapeutic Loading in Oxalate Transferrin-Conjugated Polymersomes Incorporated into Chitosan Hydrogels for Site-Specific Targeting of Melanoma Cells

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: -poly (ε-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL)-based polymersomes (Ps) loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and vemurafenib (VEM). To enhance targeted delivery to malignant melanoma cells, these drug-loaded nanovesicles were conjugated to the oxalate transferrin variant (oxalate Tf) and incorporated into three-dimensional chitosan hydrogels. This innovative approach represents the first application of oxalate Tf for the precision delivery of drug-loaded polymersomes within a semi-solid dosage form based on chitosan hydrogels. These resulting semi-solids exhibited a sustained release profile for both encapsulated drugs. To evaluate their potency, we compared the cytotoxicity of native Tf-Ps with oxalate Tf-Ps. Notably, the oxalate Tf-Ps demonstrated a 3-fold decrease in cell viability against melanoma cells compared to normal cells and were 1.6-fold more potent than native Tf-Ps, indicating the greater potency of this nanoformulation. These findings suggest that dual-drug delivery using an oxalate-Tf-targeting ligand significantly enhances the drug delivery efficiency of Tf-conjugated nanovesicles and offers a promising strategy to overcome the challenge of multidrug resistance in melanoma therapy.

Source: Pharmaceuticals

DOI: 10.3390/ph17091177

Authors: Mariana de C. Aranha, Luciana M. R. Alencar, Eliana B. Souto, Daniel T. Kamei, André M. Lopes

Institutions: Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, University College Dublin, University of California, Los Angeles

Language: English

Topic: Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery

Subfield: Biomaterials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,296